Well, let's see: Soyuzmultfilm enters the Chinese market
Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio and China Media Group have agreed to cooperate in animation. The series "Umka" will be released on China's largest children's TV channel CCTV-14, and the Chinese project Ice Hockey Together will be shown on the Multilandia channel in 2025. Earlier, the National Media Group (NMG) also announced the first co-production with China — the most anticipated film of the year, "Red Silk," directed by Andrei Volgin, has already been released.
What kind of domestic content will be shown in China
Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio and China Media Group have agreed to cooperate in animation, the Russian company told Izvestia. The first step will be the screening of the animated series "Umka" on China's largest children's TV channel CCTV-14. Viewers in China will be presented with more than 50 episodes of the popular project.
At the same time, the Ice Hockey Together series from CCTV Animation Group, created for the 24th 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, will be broadcast on Soyuzmultfilm's own TV channel, Multilandia. The premiere will take place exclusively on the Multilandia TV channel in 2025, the Soyuzmultfilm press service added.
A shot from the animated series "Umka"
The youth sports animated series Ice Hockey Together tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who, thanks to training at a hockey club, transforms from an impatient, insecure and ignorant child into a brave and purposeful player. The story is about overcoming difficulties and the power of friendship.
— Umka is an authentic Russian animated series that reveals the traditions and culture of the peoples of the Far North. We are very pleased that Soyuzmultfilm will present this kind series with a very beautiful visual world on China's main children's TV channel. At the same time, we are pleased to introduce Russian viewers to Chinese animation, which has been booming in recent years and reveals the richness of the country's cultural traditions," Juliana Slashcheva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Soyuzmultfilm Film Studio, told Izvestia.
In addition to film studios, media holdings also cooperate with friendly countries. For example, earlier National Media Group (NMG) announced the first co-production with China — the feature film "Red Silk" directed by Andrey Volgin was released on Russian screens. The plot is based on the history of two post-revolutionary states. The most anticipated premiere of the year took place on February 20th.
A shot from the movie "Red Silk"
— This is a very high-level spy thriller, a blockbuster with a romantic story, a detective story, fights, stunningly beautiful costumes and Milos Bikovic in the title role. One of the main female roles is played by a Chinese actress," said Svetlana Balanova, CEO of NMG.
The box office receipts of the Russian-Chinese detective film exceeded 100 million rubles in the first days of distribution.
As the holding told Izvestia, NMG's content is already enjoying success in China, for example, the animated series "Three Cats" has gained several billion views in the country, and the latest successful sales in China include the feature film "Ice 3".
— Over the past few years, NMG has increased its sales to China more than fivefold. We are actively distributing our animation, the projects are already recognizable and loved by Chinese viewers, are available on various major platforms in China, are also shown on national channels and adapted for the Chinese audience — translated into various dialects, — noted in the holding.
A shot from the movie "Ice 3"
They added that negotiations are underway with representatives of Chinese media companies on the development of broadcasting international versions of NMG federal TV channels in Russian and distribution of Russian-language content of TV channels in China.
Another holding company, Gazprom-Media, and the Media Corporation of China have signed a cooperation agreement. They will jointly promote technological developments in the field of mass media and strengthen joint work in news broadcasting.
What are the advantages of an international film collaboration
The entry of Russian media holdings and film studios into international markets is an important step to strengthen the position of the domestic industry, says Yulia Zagitova, founder of Breaking Trends and secretary of the Union of Journalists of Russia. Firstly, these are new sources of income: cooperation with foreign platforms and rental in other countries allow companies to monetize content outside of Russia.Secondly, it is the development of the industry as a whole.
— International collaborations facilitate the exchange of technologies, creative ideas and professional standards. For example, joint projects with China help to adapt domestic content to the global audience, which makes it more competitive, — said the expert.
In addition, such steps increase the recognition of Russian brands, form a new image of the industry and open the doors for further partnerships, Yulia Zagitova noted. This is especially true now, when the domestic film and media industry is faced with the task of finding new markets and expanding its audience.
In general, international cooperation is not only about business, but also about cultural dialogue, which can become a driver of industry development, she explained.
To distribute documentary content to the foreign market, it is necessary to produce it and then sell a license. At the same time, it should be remembered that the theme of such works should be universal and interesting to both domestic and international audiences, and given the specifics of Russian culture and society, this is not an easy task, the expert emphasized. First of all, of course, we need to focus on the demand of the Russian audience and consumer, and only then think about international prospects, he concluded.
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